Islam vs. the U.S. government?

Some Americans are sold on the idea that Islam itself (as opposed to Islamic extremists) is a danger to our democracy. Certainly, if the U.S. had a very large Islamic population, most of whom believed in Sharia law, our democracy might be in trouble. I don't pretend to know what's in the minds of America's Muslims, but I imagine the average Muslim mind isn't too different from the rest of our minds. No more or less political than yours or mine. Not particularly fanatic. Another thing I wonder is, if a foreign-born Muslim wanted to live under Sharia law, why would he bother to come to America, where he'd be unlikely to get that kind of government?

One thing Americans can do to prevent Sharia law is to protect the separation between church and state. Yes, that's what I think, and it's precisely the opposite strategy from that of some fundamentalist Christians. Their idea is to make it clear to the world that ours is a Christian nation. But I think that, besides being unconstitutional, that's a short-sighted approach. Suppose in 2010, we say, "Our nation is officially Christian, and no other faith my participate in our government." What happens to America should members of other religions begin to outnumber Christians? Assuming these others are allowed to vote (not a sure thing, once we've disposed of separation of church and state, but...), now perhaps Christianity is outlawed.

In any case, in a Christian nation, are some Christians more equal than others? Even today, some Christians are declaring that Islam is not a religion. Suppose the Catholics and protestants form a coalition and decide that Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Quakers are not true Christians?

If you want to ensure that the United States of America is never a land at peace with itself again, just end the separation of church and state and watch the various religious factions go at it. We can be just like Lebanon.

I think we'd all like to avoid that.